Myanmar morning news for April 11, 2019

Myanmar rebels storm police base in Rakhine state amid fresh clashes in temple town
Arakan Army rebels overran a police base in Rakhine state, killing two officers and one of their wives, the Myanmar government said on Wednesday, as fresh fighting broke out in a historic Buddhist temple town popular with tourists.
— Reuters

UNESCO prize for Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) congratulates Burmese journalists Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone on today’s announcement that they are to be awarded UNESCO’s Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize and reiterates its call for their immediate release.
— Yubanet

Myanmar and Thailand to utilise blockchain technology
This week, the Myanmar and Thai central banks approved the Krungthai and Shwe remittance project developed by Everex. The endorsement was made official at a meeting in Chiang Rai, Thailand, where financial institutions in the region demonstrated new solutions that enable cross-border payments.
— Mizzima

Myanmar and Bangladesh cooperation to combat illegal drug trade and terrorism
Myanmar and Bangladesh will cooperate in border area security and rule of law, according to a meeting of senior officials of border guard forces of the two countries held in Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw, Xinhua reported.
— Mizzima

Myanmar to export green tea to Germany
Organic green tea will be exported to Germany in September according by U Hla Baw, president of Pindaya Tea Cluster (PTC).
— Myanmar Times

Manulife expands into Myanmar’s life insurance market
Manulife Asia is expanding its operations in Myanmar, its 13th market in the region, following its selection as a “preferred applicant” by the country’s Ministry of Planning and Finance to set up a wholly foreign-owned life insurance operation.
— The Sun Daily

Central Myanmar faces water shortages
As village lakes have dried up in Myaing Township, Pakokku District, Magway Region, villagers are facing water shortages, according to the locals.
— Eleven Myanmar

Transport union says local taxi firms face unfair competition from foreign apps
Since 2017, when international ride-hailing companies penetrated the Myanmar taxi market, MPs and local taxi companies have urged the regional government to set rules and regulations that ensure a level playing field for the industry.
— Myanmar Times

Trade stops due to closure of India-Myanmar border
KALAY- As it is the election campaign period in India, trade had halted due to closure of India-Myanmar border, according to the locals from Tamu Township.
— Eleven Myanmar

Erin Murphy on the State of Myanmar’s Economy
A conversation on the future of Myanmar’s economy, and the implications for domestic and international actors.
— The Diplomat

Myanmar Voyages improves its readiness for tourism boom
IN VIEW of the Asian Development Bank’s projection that tourism will become a key driver of Myanmar’s economic growth in the next two years, Myanmar Voyages Co, the leading destination management company (DMC) in the country, is boosting its readiness to cash in on the tourism boom, said the firm’s managing director ThetLwinToh in an exclusive interview in Yangon.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar migrant women find solace from domestic abuse
Trapped in a life of fear and violence, Myanmar migrant women on the Thai border find refuge at a support group organised by a fledgling non-profit organisation.
— Frontier Myanmar

IFC grants $3m loan to SLCM to expand Myanmar agribusiness
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has provided a $3-million loan to agri-logistics firm SLCM Limited, the Yangon-based subsidiary of Delhi-headquartered Sohan Lal Commodity Management.
— DealStreetAsia

Travel becoming more popular during Thingyan
In recent years, travelling during Thingyan holidays has become popular in Myanmar.
— Myanmar Times

OPIC provides $5m loan to BRAC Myanmar Microfinance
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, has announced a $5 million loan package to BRAC Myanmar Microfinance Company Limited, operated by BRAC International.
— DealStreetAsia

New Weekend Market to Open in Yangon Next Month
A new weekend market will be launched in Pansodan in Yangon’s downtown area with the aim of developing a new tourist attraction for the city and supporting Myanmar’s tourism marketing.
— The Irrawaddy

Education life insurance launches in Myanmar
A new education life insurance aimed at embedding savings culture for the future education of the children in case of the death or injury of the parent or a caretaker has been launched.
— Myanmar Times

Meth Use Rising in Myanmar, Thailand, Southern China: Report
The use of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) is on the rise across Myanmar, Thailand and southern China, according to a new report by the Netherlands-based Transnational Institute (TNI).
— The Irrawaddy

Understanding China’s response to ethnic conflicts in Myanmar
In recent years, China has been playing a proactive and assertive role in neighbouring Myanmar’s internal conflicts, most of them driven by tensions between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed groups.
— Orfonline

Huawei eyes healthy growth in Myanmar amid consumers’ trust
Provided that most of its customers continue to place their trust in Huawei and recogniseits contributions to the industry, Chinese giant Huawei Technologies Co remains confident that it will maintain a strong growth in Myanmar, according to Bob Zhu, deputy general manager of Huawei Myanmar.
— Eleven Myanmar

1 killed, 7 injured in car overturn on Myanmar’s expressway
One woman was killed on the spot with seven people injured in a car overturn on Myanmar’s expressway on Wednesday, according to the Highway Police Office.
— Xinhua

Indian Council for Cultural Relations celebrates in Yangon
As part of celebrations of India’s cultural heritage in Myanmar, “Celebration of Foundation Day Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)” was organized by the Embassy of India, Yangon on 9 April.
— Mizzima

Disabled Myanmar teen football champ defies the odds
Football-obsessed Myanmar teen Kaung Khant Lin roots for Manchester United, worships star Lionel Messi and was honoured as the best player in a recent tournament.
— Malay Mail

Strong wind destroys over 300 houses in Sagaing Region
Strong wind damaged over 300 houses in seven townships in Sagaing Region on April 8, according to Sa William Frank, Director of Natural Disasters Management Department for the region.
— Eleven Myanmar

Myanmar’s meth boom affects Malaysia and surrounding countries, says report
Myanmar is now the biggest producer of methamphetamine in the world, much of which ends up in neighbouring places such as Malaysia, according to an investigative report by Al Jazeera on the trade of the illegal drug in the region.
— FMT

Xi urges Myanmar to strengthen border management
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged Myanmar to strengthen its border management and meet each other halfway during his meeting with Myanmar’s Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Wednesday.
— CGTN

Myanmar’s army is increasingly turning to India for training and weapons
Amid much rejoicing over the Indian air strikes at Balakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — seen as evidence of escalation in India’s counterterrorism response — the Indian army has achieved a major breakthrough in military diplomacy in the East.\
— Telegraph India

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